Has public raising a stink brought Warrenpoint smell issue to an end?

‘Rotten To The Point’ are now seeking assurances that there is no “plot” for a greater volume of bails to return in the future.

In a statement issued earlier this week, the group said that after “exactly one year of campaigning, we welcome what we hope was the clearance of the open-air stockpile of stinking waste bales from Warrenpoint Port on Friday, August 30”.

They added that residents and businesses of Warrenpoint and the surrounding area “now need to hear from the four major players involved in the creation and enabling of the well-documented stench problem, namely Re-Gen Waste Ltd, Warrenpoint Harbour Authority (WHA), Northern Ireland Environmental Authority (NIEA) and our local council NMDDC - we need to hear whether they have all at last acknowledged that it’s time for a genuine return to the right for all to breathe clean air in and around Warrenpoint.

"Only a clear statement from each of the above bodies will assure the public that this welcome waste clearance is not some bizarre ‘Wooden Horse of Troy’ ploy with a plot to return in stealth with a bigger and even worse stench operation, whether that be in the open-air again or under some kind of shed or temporary shack it is not welcomed in Warrenpoint."

The group’s statement said that those in the community who had signed a petition and who had “consistently raised a voice of reason on street campaigns, public meetings, and the only South Down election hustings held before this year’s General Election campaign have all made it abundantly clear that they want an end to the Re-Gen presence in Warrenpoint".

They highlighted the work of Crotlieve independent councillors Mark Gibbons and Jarlath Tinnelly, who were “were successful in bringing a special smell meeting before the Council in March of this year have also been consistent in their criticism of the very avoidable stink debacle.

"Councillor Gibbons, who also works as a postman and knows the community word on the street and the doorstep better than anyone, has listened carefully and acted as a democratic conduit in representing the voices of the community - it’s time for Re-Gen to go. He and thousands of others believe that the Lislea waste company should now move their waste import/export and storage operations to a port with proper space and storage facilities, sited at a safe distance from residential areas.”

‘Rotten To The Point’ concluded: “We have always endeavoured to keep lines of communication open between our elected representatives and we thank all who have supported our campaign. We understand that Alliance MLA Andrew McMurray plans to meet Re-Gen Waste Ltd next week, Rotten to the Point has emailed Re-Gen Waste Ltd, Warrenpoint Harbour Authority and the DAERA /NIEA Minister Andrew Muir for statements to make it clear to the community what is happening and we still await statements from them all.

"We have also made it abundantly clear to them that we want to say farewell to the cause of that long-running stench scandal - in short, it’s time for Re-gen to leave Warrenpoint for good. We wish them a cleaner future and thank all, including our very helpful local and national print, broadcast and social media who have helped us so much in reaching this point of hope for the times ahead.”

The Newry Reporter contacted Re-Gen, WHA, NIEA and NMDDC for comment.

A statement from Re-Gen said: “In line with our plans announced last year, we increased the frequency of our shipments leaving Warrenpoint in order to maintain a lower stock level at our site. We have achieved that aim and reduced the level of stock in September significantly compared to the same time last year. With further ships booked in the coming weeks, we expect to maintain lower stock levels at our Warrenpoint site in the coming months.

“To ensure continued good relations with our neighbours in Warrenpoint, we recently met with local political parties to discuss residents’ concerns and have taken on board their points. We will continue to look at further options to reduce any impact from our operation.

“Four recent inspections by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) have confirmed that our site is compliant in the management of odours, while all recommendations made by the Independent Environmental Report carried out earlier this year, commissioned by Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, have been fully implemented.”

“However, we apologise for any inconvenience caused in recent weeks. We will work hard to ensure any impact is minimised longer term by continuing to improve next year. In addition, Re-Gen’s category-leading research and development team continue to adopt the latest technologies to treat waste further.”

“Warrenpoint Harbour remains a key facility for our business so we will continue to use it to export bales of fuel in the future. Export of RDF to highly efficient power plants in Scandinavia is a key lever in helping Northern Ireland decarbonise the waste system here and meet fast-approaching carbon emission targets.”

A WHA spokesperson stated: “ReGen’s licence with the NIEA remains in place. Warrenpoint Port continues to engage with ReGen to ensure there is no odour from their facility on our site, with an independent monitoring team reviewing their operations. We are committed to working closely with the local community and as part of our open door policy our Community Forum is enabling residents and businesses to discuss issues directly with us.”

NIEA stated: “The control of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) waste bale stock levels at Warrenpoint Harbour, prior to shipment, is an operational matter for ReGen Waste Limited (ReGen). The facility remains authorised by the NIEA for the storage of RDF prior to shipment, and the NIEA will continue to monitor compliance with the conditions of the waste management licence held.”

NMDDC did not reply to our request for a comment.